April 12, 2008

The Corvette ZR1 was lacking anything. It’s got the whole package - the power, looks, and even a (relatively) decent price tag. Apparently South African designer Idries Noah saw something much more and came up with his incredible design using the ZR1 as a platform. If you recognize the name, it’s because Idries also came up with the unofficial Ferrari F250 Concept that we drooled over back in December. His latest design, dubbed the Fireblade, takes inspiration from the Stingray Corvette, Gillet Vertigo, and Shelby Daytona. Like the ZR1 Corvette, it features the supercharged LS9 V8 displayed for the world to see under the clear portion of the hood. The result is a very attractive combination, and it’s a shame that the car exists only in the digital world. Perhaps, like the Vandenbrink 599 GTO, enough people with excessive amounts of discretionary income will be interested in the design enough to consider a production version. Idries Noah: "It's been a while but I'm finally done with the new concept. It's totally different to the F250. I decided to go for a front engine rear wheel drive setup. It needed to be a brute, a car that has muscle car qualities. It needed to reflect raw power yet not be vulgar. With a 6.1 L Supercharged V8 under the bonnet it's guaranteed to be properly quick." Compare it with the other Concept ChevroletCorvette Z03.